Match Preview - Manchester United vs Arsenal

Two weeks into the new season and we're famished at the lack of goals and attacking intent from nearly all the teams. Considering the league is the best league on the planet, hopefully last season's record breaking goals-scored tally of the Premier League wasn't a fluke but rather a base for seasons to come.

We all love to see goals and thankfully United (and City, credit given where it's due) haven't disappointed in providing quality entertaintment and great attacking football. And this match couldn't come at a better time for us.

The exquisite one-touch football and build-play evident in the last two games from United has made us fans licking our lips for more. And with Rooney looking increasingly the player that in my opinion, is the top three in the world alongside Messi and Ronaldo. With Cleverley improving dramatically into a class act from the mediocre player he was in his loan spells at Wigan and Watford, the future looks more than just bright.

With Arsenal sealing their passage into the Champions League proper, they have had something to smile after a tumultuous summer of discontent. Losing Fabregas wasn't a big blow considering Wilshere's rapid rise, but Nasri's departure will probably be the difference for Arsenal finishing 4 or 5-7. Harsh but highly likely with a improving Liverpool and Spurs challenging them.

Having Song, understudy Frimpong and Gervinho suspended for this one, their midfield and attack would be weaker than Wenger's urge to drench Pat Rice. Djorou is back to partner Vermaelen so that should ease the headache of Wenger at least a little.

Trusting nearly the same side that beat West Brom against Spurs paid dividends so I wouldn't be suprised to see the side unchanged for this one too. Rio could be a outside bet to take the pitch and maybe Fabio could be given some game time after being benched against Spurs.

In midfield, I'd probably want Sir Alex to start Carrick or Giggs for their experience, but with Cleverley and Anderson scoring, it would be hard to edge them out.

Park may be prefered to the disappointing Nani to give the extra energy to complement the attack. He is  Big-Game-Park after all. The 10 minutes or so cameo by Hernandez will not threaten Welbeck after a great display the other day. Our Mexican hitman still needs at least another substitute appearance to get back into the starting line-up.

Arsene Wenger is a great manager and you can't rule them out but without sounding arrogant, Rooney and company should put this lightweight Arsenal team to the sword easier than many would think.

European quest begins again

Finally, the last round of qualifying has finished and now its time to start the Champions League proper. United being seeded, is placed in pot 1 among the other heavyweights of Europe.

Honestly, for me it doesn't matter who we get drawn as we stronger than nearly all the possibities and should have little trouble making it into the knockouts considering we're the only team to have the best knock-out round appearance record.

I would prefer trips that wouldn't tax us in the league but hoping to meet the newer in the competitions. Going to these places is the mystic of the Champions League.

The pots and stats according to uefa.com

Club	Route	Last in	Years*	2010/11**	Best***
Pot 1
FC Barcelona	Holders / Champions, Spain	2010/11	15	Winners	Winners x 4
Manchester United FC	Champions, England	2010/11	16	Runners-up	Winners x 3
Chelsea FC	Runners-up, England	2010/11	9	Quarter-finals	Runners-up
FC Bayern München	Third place, Germany	2010/11	14	Round of 16	Winners x 4
Arsenal FC	Fourth place, England	2010/11	13	Round of 16	Runners-up
Real Madrid CF	Runners-up, Spain	2010/11	15	Semi-finals	Winners x 9
FC Porto	Champions, Portugal	2009/10	15	UEL, winners	Winners x 2
FC Internazionale Milano	Runners-up, Italy	2010/11	10	Quarter-finals	Winners x 3
Pot 2
AC Milan	Champions, Italy	2010/11	14	Round of 16	Winners x 7
Olympique Lyonnais	Third place, France	2010/11	11	Round of 16	Semi-finals
FC Shakhtar Donetsk	Champions, Ukraine	2010/11	6	Quarter-finals	Quarter-finals
Valencia CF	Third place, Spain	2010/11	7	Round of 16	Runners-up
SL Benfica	Runners-up, Portugal	2010/11	6	UEL, semi-finals	Winners x 2
Villarreal CF	Fourth place, Spain	2008/09	2	UEL, semi-finals	Semi-finals
PFC CSKA Moskva	Runners-up, Russia	2009/10	5	UEL, round of 16	Quarter-finals
Olympique de Marseille	Runners-up, France	2010/11	7	Round of 16	Winners x 1
Pot 3
FC Zenit St Petersburg	Champions, Russia	2008/09	1	UEL, round of 16	Group stage
AFC Ajax	Champions, Netherlands	2010/11	9	UEL, round of 16	Winners x 4
Bayer 04 Leverkusen	Runners-up, Germany	2004/05	6	UEL, round of 16	Runners-up
Olympiacos FC	Champions, Greece	2009/10	12	UEL, 3qr	Quarter-finals
Manchester City FC	Third place, England	Debut	0	UEL, round of 16	First round
LOSC Lille Métropole	Champions, France	2006/07	3	UEL, round of 32	Round of 16
FC Basel 1893	Champions, Switzerland	2010/11	3	UEL, round of 32	2nd group stage
FC BATE Borisov	Champions, Belarus	2008/09	1	UEL, round of 32	Group stage
Pot 4
Borussia Dortmund	Champions, Germany	2002/03	6	UEL, group stage	Winners x 1
SSC Napoli	Third place, Italy	Debut	0	UEL, round of 32	Second round
GNK Dinamo Zagreb	Champions, Croatia	1999/2000	2	UEL, group stage	Group stage
APOEL FC	Champions, Cyprus	2009/10	1	UEL, play-offs	Group stage
Trabzonspor AŞ	Runners-up, Turkey****	Debut	0	UEL, play-offs	Second round
KRC Genk	Champions, Belgium	2002/03	1	UEL, play-offs	Group stage
FC Viktoria Plzeň	Champions, Czech Rep.	Debut	0	UEL, 3qr	N/A
FC Oţelul Galaţi	Champions, Romania	Debut	0	N/A	N/A

*Past group stage appearances not including 2011/12
**UEFA Champions League unless stated
***Includes pre-1992 European Champion Clubs' Cup
**** Trabzonspor replaced Fenerbahçe SK, who were withdrawn from the competition by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF)
UEL = UEFA Europa League
3qr = Third qualifying round